Gubernatorial hopeful Tom Tancredo today released a list of more than 30 conservative community activists who have endorsed the third-party candidate’s campaign as he continues gunning for GOP nominee and early Tea Party favorite Dan Maes.

The endorsement list includes a number of leaders from the Denver-based Hear Us Now! and members of various other Tea Party and 9.12 groups across the state. It also includes people identified simply as grassroots activists with no group affiliations noted.

“Colorado citizens need assurance that we are doing the best we can to support a solid and winning conservative candidate to represent us,” said Bob Marshall, secretary of Hear Us Now!, in a statement. “Based on polling trends and the direction that the governor’s race has taken over the course of the last several weeks, we firmly believe that candidate Tom Tancredo represents Colorado’s best choice in this race.”

Tancredo hasn’t enjoyed such smooth relations will all Tea Party and 9.12 groups, however.

The idea is that the flood of over-the-top politics has crested and a new momentum is flowing through our state. This new momentum carries with it more reasonable currents, though of course there will still be the driftwood and the wreckage the flood broke lose washing through.

Vail Valley 9.12 Project’s organizer Michael Schneider kicked off the event by talking about a letter Tancredo wrote to 9.12 members and Tea Party activists last December that said third-party candidates split conservative votes and guarantee the re-election of liberals and socialists.

“You will split the vote and (John) Hickenlooper will become the governor,” Schneider said. “Be a hero, be a champion of the conservative causes that you’ve always been — drop out of the race and come back to the conservative party.”

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.